This invention relates to new and useful improvements in straw choppers and spreaders including means to collect and spread chaff, and is adapted to be secured under the rear, substantially horizontal, discharge area of a threshing machine such as a combine or the like.
An efficient chopper and spreader device should satisfy several criteria. Firstly, of course, it should chop the straw received from the straw walkers, readily and easily and distribute same behind and to the sides of the machine with little chance of jamming or clogging occurring. In other words the choppers or flails should chop and distribute the straw in such a way that encountering a temporarily heavy stand will not cause the straw to back up in the discharge area.
Secondly, it is preferable that it should also collect and distribute the chaff rather than just dump it in the swath immediately behind the discharge.
It is also desirable that some control be provided for controlling the area of distribution of the chopped straw both rearwardly and sideways.
A further desirable feature is the provision of means whereby, if desired, the straw chopper can be made inoperative and adjusted readily so that the straw can be dumped from the discharge of the combine into a windrow immediately therebehind in the usual manner without the straw being chopped.
Conventional straw chopping devices merely receive the straw which is then chopped and spread with little control being provided. An example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,795.
The present device overcomes disadvantages inherent with conventional straw chopping and spreading devices and satisfies the above enumerated requirements in a satisfactory manner.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a straw chopper and spreader assembly for connection to the rear discharge area of a threshing machine such as a combine or the like, said threshing machine including reciprocating straw walker assemblies feeding straw to said discharge area and a reciprocating chaff conveying tray situated spaced below said straw walker and also communicating with said discharge area to receive straw therefrom, a pair of contra-rotating flail assemblies in said casing receiving straw and chopping same, said fails rotating in different horizontal planes whereby the blades thereof overlap one another to provide straw shearing action therebetween, an adjustable skirt at the rear of said casing to control discharge of chopped straw therebehind and adjustable chutes extending one upon each side of said skirt to control the ejection of and direction of straw to the sides of said skirt.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a straw chopper and spreader assembly for connection to the rear discharge area of a threshing machine including means for feeding straw to the discharge area, the said assembly comprising a casing, first and second flail means in the casing for receiving straw and for chopping same, the first flail means being rotatable relative to the second flail means, and the first and second flail means including blades which lie in different horizontal planes and overlap one another to provide a straw shearing action therebetween on rotation of the first flail means, means for discharging chopped straw laterally of the casing and adjustable means for controlling the discharge of the chopped straw to the rear of the assembly casing.
Another advantage of the invention is that it is designed to be secured by mounting brackets, to the discharge area of varying makes of harvester combine machines.
A yet further advantage of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which, if desired, can readily be inactivated so that the straw and chaff can be deposited from the discharge area of the combine harvester, in a swath, in the usual manner.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is simple in construction, economical in operation and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is designed.
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a description of the best mode known to the applicant and of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention, in which: